Za Darius Smith Joins Falcons After Abrupt NFL Retirement

Veteran pass rusher Za'Darius Smith signed a one-year, $6 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons on August 18, 2026, returning to the NFL after suddenly retiring last season with the Philadelphia Eagles due to family tragedies.

The 33-year-old edge rusher stepped away from the game five games into his tenure with Philadelphia after receiving a grim update regarding his mother's health. During his brief stint with the Eagles, he recorded 10 tackles and 1.5 sacks as a rotational defender.

Smith explained the emotional circumstances surrounding his sudden departure during his first press conference with Atlanta on Wednesday.

"I wasn't supposed to retire," Smith said. "I wasn't going to tell the story, but I'm going to tell it. I got a phone call from my mom's doctor telling me that she don't have much longer to be on this Earth.

I let the team know. Obviously they wasn't trying to let me leave, but that was the only thing I had left — to retire. So I retired."

Following his mother's passing, Smith suffered additional personal losses when his grandmother and father died shortly after.

"I was in a dark place," Smith said.

The mental toll kept Smith away from football until Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry reached out during the offseason to check on his well-being. Although Smith visited Cleveland, where he previously played in 2023 and 2024, contract negotiations stalled over financial terms.

Atlanta quickly intervened after losing edge rusher Jalon Walker to a season-ending ACL tear and facing an eight-game personal conduct policy suspension for James Pearce Jr. The move reunited Smith with head coach Kevin Stefanski and positioned him near his hometown of Montgomery, Alabama.

"My mom -- rest her soul, man -- she always wanted me to be in Atlanta with the Falcons," Smith said.

Upon arriving in Atlanta, Smith shared a personal moment of grief with Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, who recently lost his wife, Cristina, to cancer.

"I don't know if he knew about mine or not, but he told me and I said, 'Coach, come here, man -- just give me a hug because I know exactly what you're going through, man,'" Smith said. "So that's how we immediately connected."

The three-time Pro Bowler holds 70.5 career sacks over 11 seasons and was a 2020 All-Pro second-team selection with the Green Bay Packers. He expressed enthusiasm about returning to the field, noting his long-term goal of reaching 100 career sacks.

"This is my happy place," Smith said. "Come back, play football. I was in a dark place, but, you know, coming out, running out on the field, the fans — not just the fans, man, the joy that I get from winning and just getting sacks."

Smith celebrated on the field during Atlanta's preseason victory against the Indianapolis Colts following a 49-yard touchdown run by Tyler Goodson, drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for excessive celebration.

"You'll know the reason why now," Smith said, "because I haven't been that happy in a long time."

To honor his late mother, Smith is arranging for two Greyhound buses to transport her church congregation from Montgomery to Mercedes-Benz Stadium for Falcons home games this season.